Is Session Buddy safe?
By default, Session Buddy keeps your saved collections in files on your device, and it needs no signup. Its privacy policy says it doesn't send your collections, history or settings to any outside service. Version 4.2.0 adds an optional premium cloud feature. The main risk is losing data, not leaking it: the developer tells you to back up often.
Session Buddy safety at a glance
| Item | Session Buddy |
|---|---|
| Made by | Author "hansifer", per the Session Buddy website |
| Open source | No public source code |
| Chrome's new rules | Version 4 was rewritten to meet them. Needs Chrome 109 or later. |
| Latest version | 4.2.0 is the newest release notes we found. It adds optional premium cloud collections |
| Account needed | No |
| Where your data lives | In files on your device by default. Optional premium cloud collections arrive in 4.2.0 |
| Data sent out | None by default, per its privacy policy. We did not test the optional cloud feature |
| Store removals | Once, in August 2014, over keywords in its listing. Back by 2 September 2014. |
Who makes Session Buddy?
Session Buddy's website names "hansifer" as the author of its posts. We couldn't confirm the developer name shown on the Chrome Web Store listing, so check the "Offered by" line there before you install. The developer also runs a public discussion group, where Session Buddy's changes and store issues are discussed openly.
Does Session Buddy need an account?
No. Session Buddy's website says you can use it "without a login, and no signup is required". There is no Session Buddy account to create, so there is no password to leak and no profile on a server. That is a real privacy plus. It also means nobody can restore your sessions for you if your computer fails.
Where does Session Buddy store my data?
By default, on your device. Its privacy policy says: "Session Buddy stores your collections, history, and settings in files that exist only on your device." It also says it does not transmit or store them "to any external services". Version 4.2.0 adds optional premium cloud collections, so check the policy again if you turn that on.
From Session Buddy's privacy policy, sessionbuddy.com/privacy-policy:
"Session Buddy stores your collections, history, and settings in files that exist only on your device."
"we do not collect or receive any personally identifiable data such as names, addresses, or birth dates"
What does the Chrome Web Store say about Session Buddy's data?
The store listing shows four data categories: personally identifiable information, financial and payment information, authentication information and web history. That reads worse than the privacy policy, which says your sessions stay on your device. We couldn't confirm the developer's own explanation, so read the listing and the policy side by side.
The developer has discussed these labels in Session Buddy's public discussion group. We couldn't see the store's "not sold to third parties" lines for Session Buddy, so we don't claim them here.
Do I need to back up Session Buddy?
Yes. Session Buddy's own privacy policy says: "Because your Session Buddy data is stored only on your device, it is strongly recommended that you back up often." If your computer dies or your Chrome profile is wiped, your saved sessions go with it. Back up your sessions now and then, and keep a copy somewhere else.
The developer explains how in its data reliability guide.
If you still have data from the old Session Buddy 3, move it soon. The developer says Session Buddy 3 "will stop working soon" and that automatic transfer is no longer possible after Chrome 124. Its migration page walks you through it.
Is Session Buddy open source?
No. Session Buddy's code is not public. A GitHub project called "session-buddy" exists, but it is an unrelated project, not this extension. Closed code doesn't make an extension unsafe. It means you rely on the developer's privacy policy, the store's data labels and the install prompt, rather than on code anyone can check.
Is Session Buddy a Manifest V3 extension?
Session Buddy 4 was rewritten for Chrome's new rules. The developer says version 4 "fully complies with new requirements and replaces the use of Web SQL Database", and that it needs Chrome 109 or later. We couldn't find the words "Manifest V3" on Session Buddy's own site, so we describe it in the developer's words instead.
What is the latest version of Session Buddy?
The newest release notes we found are for version 4.2.0, which adds cloud collections as an opt-in premium feature. We couldn't confirm the version number or the "Updated" date the Chrome Web Store shows today, so check both before you install. Every version 4 release needs Chrome 109 or later.
What permissions does Session Buddy need, and why?
Session Buddy needs to see your open tabs so it can save them. Chrome shows this as "read your browsing history". The developer says that permission lets it "list and save the titles and URLs of open tabs", but does not let it read page content or what you type into forms. The full list isn't published.
| What Chrome shows | What it lets the extension do | Session Buddy's stated reason |
|---|---|---|
"Read your browsing history" (the tabs permission) | See the titles and addresses of your open tabs | "to list and save the titles and URLs of open tabs" |
| Anything else in the install prompt | Not published by the developer | Check the prompt yourself before you click "Add" |
The developer adds that the tabs permission does "NOT allow it to read the content of web pages … or information typed into forms".
Has Session Buddy had security problems?
No security problem that we found. In August 2014 the Chrome Web Store team temporarily removed Session Buddy "pending review", over "irrelevant, misleading, or excessive keywords" in its listing. It was back by 2 September 2014. That was a listing-rules issue, not a security one. We found no malware, breach or change of owner.
How can I check Session Buddy myself?
Open the official Chrome Web Store listing and check the "Offered by" line and the "Updated" date. The "Privacy practices" tab shows the four data categories above. When you click "Add to Chrome", the install prompt lists the access it wants. The tabs permission should be there. Anything unrelated to saving tabs is a warning sign.
After you install:
- Back up your sessions on a schedule. It is the one thing Session Buddy can't do for you.
- Keep your backup off the same computer, so one failure can't take both.
- Move old Session Buddy 3 data with the developer's migration page if you haven't yet.
Good to know
Session Buddy is a good pick if you want your tab lists to stay on your own computer by default, with no account. The trade-off is that you are the backup. If you'd rather have your saved tabs on a server behind an account, see Is Toby safe?. Toby now needs an account and stores saved tabs on its own servers.
Read more
Session Buddy is a third-party extension, not built or maintained by Xplorekit. We link to the official Chrome Web Store listing. Installing it, and what data it handles, is between you and its developer. We don't show ratings or user counts because we can't verify them.